Miami-Dade voters overwhelmingly rejected Referendum 3 on Tuesday, Nov. 3, ending a proposal that threatened the future of Gramps Getaway, the waterfront bar on Virginia Key. About 65 percent of voters opposed the measure.
Owner and founder Adam Gersten announced the result to a crowd of about 50 people, who cheered. The bar is a laid-back, affordable spot with bay views, and many regulars see it as one of the last blue-collar hangouts in Miami.
The referendum would have authorized a 45-year lease of about 27.6 acres of public waterfront at the Rickenbacker and Marine Stadium marinas to Virginia Key LLC, with a possible 30-year extension. The plan called for about $80 million in privately funded improvements, including restaurants, retail space, boat storage and public parking. Supporters said it would modernize aging marinas and bring revenue to the city. Opponents questioned what it would mean for public access, the environment and local businesses.
The vote also drew support from conservative voters, some of whom asked not to be named. They said they were less concerned with development itself than with how quickly familiar Miami places are disappearing.
The result does not settle the future of the marinas. The city still has to decide what comes next for the site, and new redevelopment proposals remain possible.
